Everything That We Know About the Windows 11 Launch and New Features

The reaction to Windows 11 being announced was met with mixed reactions, as some people were excited to see what’s new for the long-running operating system, while others felt that we did not need a new version yet as Windows 10 was more than sufficient for the time being.

However, Microsoft changed the mind of some of those who were reluctant about the release with the launch of Windows 11 a day ago, since it brings many new features to the table that Windows 10 was missing. The number one question everyone has in mind is if it’s worth leaving Windows 10 behind for the newly launched successor – and that’s what we’re going to determine by taking a look at all of the notable changes.

A new interface

Windows 11 seems to be opting for a ‘smoother’ experience as the new user interface is being compared to the Macintosh. It ditches things that could be considered rough and instead has visuals that are more on the ‘neat’ side, and it has a centered Star menu and Taskbar too.

Integrated Android app support

Perhaps the most important feature added to Windows 11 is the integration of Android apps straight into the operating system. This allows users to enjoy Android on their computer without having to constantly move to their phone to do certain tasks. Although this was already possible through third-party options in Windows 10, this is the first time that this capability will be introduced officially.

Easier, more seamless transitions

A quality-of-life featured that everyone hoped to see from Windows one day was easier transitions between monitors, laptops, and other devices that the user has with Windows installed on them. A new feature in Windows 11 called ‘Snap Groups and Snap Layouts’ allows users to create a collection of apps that will sit in the Taskbar and can be maximized at any moment, which allows for simpler multitasking that will feel more organized.

And on top of that, users can now switch monitors without having to worry about their items that are being displayed on a secondary screen being lost, which makes it easier than ever to transition between screens.

Reworked Widgets

Widgets were something that Windows Vista tried to normalize in Windows, but people were not fond of them as they had already gotten over the phase of over-installing visual applications on the Windows XP desktop. However, Windows 11 is attempting to integrate them once more as the widgets can now be used directly from the Taskbar and it’s easier to personalize them too.

Improved Virtual Desktop support

Virtual desktops are a feature that have been around for a while, but since they hardly gave anything new that users weren’t already used to doing anyway, that feature mostly has been ignored. With Windows 11, this task is being made easier as you can now switch between different desktops very quickly similar to MacOS, and you can even have individual wallpapers on all of them which allows them to feel more separate than each other.

Microsoft Teams integration

Although this benefits very few people, Microsoft is trying to rework their Teams application and have even pinned it on the Windows 11 Taskbar. It’s a bold move, but Microsoft hopes to make the application good enough to be accepted by a wider audience.

Integration of Xbox technologies

Something exclusively meant for gamers, Windows 11 is getting several features that will close the gap between an Xbox console and a PC, allowing the latter to have a better console-like gaming experience too.

All of these changes are specific and would only benefit certain people who have been looking forward to them – so it’s not going to be surprising if not a lot of people are ready to leave Windows 10 behind just yet. That is further supported by the fact that Windows 11’s requirements are not being met by many computers that lack the TPM technology.

There will be more updates coming to the operating system, so it will be interesting to see where things go from here.